Futura Men

Rating

Description

The No Edge concept brings your foot closer to the rock for better edging performance, increased sensitivity and more homogeneous wear. An all-synthetic upper does not stretch out and the Fast Lacing System® cinches down with a hook and loop closure. The P3® platform gives you the downturned power needed for hard boulder problems. The overall feel of the shoe is lightweight, thin and sensitive for hi-performance bouldering, sport climbing, technical trad climbing and gym climbing. These are little Ferraris for your feet that give you the ability to feel the texture of the rock climbing surface and stand on the tiniest edges.

New "no-edges" concept from the Speedster gives the maximum edging advantage right out of the box.
P3® technology lets you crank on overhangs and climb like a monkey.
Fast Lacing System® from the Solution gives you a snug, precise fit.
Excellent sensitivity for extremely technical projects.

Retail price

US$ 185.00

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Fast Lacing System®

A patented, highly adjustable lacing system which is quick to use and ensures the perfect fit.

No Edge Concept™

The No-edge concept eliminates the traditional "edges" of the sole. This allows the foot to come into closer contact with the rock surface. Thus enhancing foot sensitivity and allowing optimum contact on the hold. With the No-edge construction, climbing becomes more fluid, instinctive and harmonious.

P3®

Permanent Power Platform used in climbing shoes to maintain the downturned shape of the shoe for the life of the shoe.

Slip Lasted

The method of footwear construction in which the upper is sewn into a sock and then slipped onto the last. Slip lasted shoes normally do not have an insole and get their "stiffness" from the midsole which is located just above the outsole. Slip lasted rock climbing shoes tend to be sensitive like the Mythos and Cobra and less stiff than board lasted shoes.

VIBRAM® XS Grip2

Represents the natural evolution of VIBRAM® XS Grip, the new XS Grip2 delivers highly improved grip, while maintaining consistent performance in all temperatures. XS Grip 2 is the best solution in pure friction situations while remaining durable and even-wearing.

In short, La Sportiva’s “No Edge Technology” is amazing! It has sped up my footwork and given me more confidence on tiny footholds. The Futuras are the best fit for me, and have become my favourite shoes for crimpy climbs. The Geniuses offer all the benefits of the “No Edge Technology” but with more comfort (and they look like friggin’ Ferraris!). I still use the Solutions on overhanging climbs when I need that little bit of extra power on my toes, or when I need to hook my toe on a hold in the roof, but for everything else I prefer the “No Edge” shoes. If you have good footwork, but are still struggling to trust your feet, or if you just need a new pair of shoes and can’t decide whether to edge or not to edge, then I suggest you give these shoes a try.

This shoe has a very short wear-in period, but they do require time to build your familiarity and confidence. The bottom line is that the Futura is at the forefront of a concept that is headed in the right direction, putting them on a short list of shoes that will let you climb at your absolute limit, or establish a new one.

Futuras — La Sportiva’s latest advancement in their climbing shoe category. I went on a two week climbing trip to the Chattanooga area and thought it would be a perfect time to put these things to the test. The Futura features the “no edge” concept also found on the La Sportiva Speedster. Whereas, I found the Speedster takes some time to break in, but the Futura’s soft synthetic upper allows for a great fit right out of the box. The Futura utilizes the Fast Lacing System via a hook and loop closure which creates a good fitting shoe, something I wasn’t expecting.

I began testing mostly in the gym, and my first Aha! moment was on the 45-degree-overhanging Tsunami Wall at the Boulder Rock Club, where the shoes grabbed and smeared so well and inserted so deep into the holds that I felt like my feet had become hands. Radical steeps are the Futura’s métier, and it’s here that I’d most recommend them given just how well you can feel things underfoot—and the pain this can cause on less-overhanging terrain. Still, just for shits and grins, I also tested on some slabby Boulder Canyon granite, and found that the Futuras edged remarkably well as long as my foot muscles held up.

When I first got the shoe, I went straight to my local climbing gym to try them. The first thing I noticed was how comfortable they were. The inside of the tongue is a very soft micro fleece that stretches around your foot. The toe box is shaped to let the knuckle of your big toe be bent as it should be with an aggressive shoe.

"The shoe actually lasts longer," a representative from La Sportiva told me, explaining one of the benefits of the No Edge concept. The logic is a bit weird: no edge, nothing to wear down; ipso facto, longer-lasting shoe. It’s the same paradox we face with zombies: How can you kill something that’s already dead? But it seems to be true. After six months of use, my Futuras—even with their scant 3mm of Vibram XS Grip2 rubber—look the same as they did out of the box. I’m curious to see how they hold up over the long run, and if they will still be going strong a year or more from now. If so, that might just justify the $170 price tag.

This downturned slipper-cum-Velcro is La Sportiva’s latest high-performance kick. Testers lauded the comfort and easy on-off (elastic ankle cuff with one Velcro strap), which make the Futuras perfect for bouldering and indoor training. The Futura received high marks for sensitivity, thanks to a 3mm Vibram XS Grip2 outsole. They also hook really well, with a heel that vacuum-fits a variety of foot shapes and sufficient toe-top rubber and forefoot flex. The only feature that multiple testers disliked was the No-Edge toe-box, a unique design (also on La Sportiva’s Speedster) that wraps a strip of rubber over the toe instead of having an actual separation between the rand and outsole. As the name implies, there’s no edge, just a rounded toe that performs well on everything but—you guessed it—edges. But forget edging: The Futura is a soft, aggressive bouldering shoe that crushes the steeps.